Mihawk
by RSTUV
Summary: Mihawk and Zoro's face off at the Bartie from Mihawk's perspective


Today was a dull day. Not a sleepy day, I had had one of those a week back and it had been interrupted. Today was a business day. Today was a day to finish up some business. However that did not stop it from being painfully dull as I pursued my prey into the weakest of the seas, East Blue.

Sailing along letting the rocking of the boat lull me into a slumber. I thought over the face of Don Kreig, he had interrupted my nap and paid a hefty price. I knew that if I just let the winds carry me, they would take me to my target. It was the same winds that had taken him speedily away from me. I had not intended to follow them, but after thinking it over I realized that I had nothing else to do. _They will not get far in the state that they are in._

Lone and behold when I shifted out of my resting state, I could see on the horizon the ship I was waiting for. It was docked at a Baratie restaurant. Zeff Black leg owned it as I recall. I remember seeing his face on a news paper some years back. Lost in a storm I had no desire to fight him, just to get what I came for. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a tiny dot moving away from the floating duck. Using my Haki I quickly honed in on it. _A sheep head, I skull and cross bones, an attempted escape?, no no they could not have seen me, and its a straw hat not the symbol of any pirate I am aware of._ _Only one person aboard, and young girl crying. None of my business._ I turned my attention back to the Baratie. I waited till I had floated in range of the ship that bore Don Krieg's symbol. I removed my black sword form its place on my back and stood. It was almost too easy. With three swipes of my sword the air was filled with screams and the sounds of wood splitting and splashing as it hit the water. I sighed annoyance growing with the number screams. Replacing my sword in its sheath with a soft hissing I sat back down on my raft. I had floated closer to the Bartie as a result of the waves from the impacts of the ships pieces hitting the water and looked up into the face of sound of a pirate asking why I was here reached my ears I decided the truth would be best

"I just wanted to kill time." I replied. One of them took offense and fired his pistols at me. With out much effort I redirected them with my sword

The pirates standing on the remain floating ship pieces gasped

"He missed" one shouted incredulously

"No matter how many times you try to you will miss shooting. He uses his sword to change the course of the bullets." _Yes very good we have someone who is slightly more observant._ I thought sarcastically. A man with green hair and three katanas stepped forward. I gauged his strength and found him to be no more then a beginner, possibly talented but still barely out of wooden swords. He did not seem to be a part of Don Krieg's crew.

"I've never seen someone with such gentle skill before." he said with awe in his voice and challenge in his eyes I slid my sword once again back into place on my back with a soft hiss. My raft continued to rock with the choppy waves generated by the falling ship parts.

If a sword doesn't have gentleness, it is not strong" I told the amateur swordsman

"You used that sword to cut that giant ship? Super. Ultimate power."

The vermin behind him seemed to recognize him, but I was sure he wasn't a part of their crew.

"I have looked for you for a long time." He announced

 _Argh! Lets get this over with. Just like the rest of them as it turns out_

"What do you want from me?" I asked wanting this to end as soon as possible.

"The ultimate sword, You're free right? Why don't you fight me?"

The vermin; screams told me that this man was in fact a pirate hunter.

"I feel sorry for you weakling." I mocked him, getting off my raft and meeting him on the large piece of ship. The vermin scrambling to get away dove into the water.

"Because they can estimate their power and compare it to me. Even the greatest swordsmen won't fight "

"You're strong will that wants to challenge me comes from you're brave heart or your foolishness." Surprised at myself to find out that I wanted to know which it was.

I glanced around and found that a boy and three men had made their way out on tho the Bartie, the boy was standing on the farthest point of the dock staring vigilantly at us. Something with the boys eyes struck a chord, _where have I seen him before, those eyes I have seen those eyes before._ I shrugged it off

'It is my dream and my promise to my friend." He drew his three swords how uncommon put the white one in his mouth

"I never thought I would find you so soon."

"That does not make you any better." I reminded him. _You only get to die sooner, a shame actually._  
I made no move to grab my sword. _I do not need it for this boy._ I removed my cross necklace and pulled out the concealed dagger.

"Hey what do you think your doing?" he demanded

"I am not a stupid person . I won't use all my power of what I have to hunt a rabbit I know that there are many people in the world who want to be come famous. This place is East Blue, the weakest of the sea. Unfortunately I don't carry a smaller knife than this one."

"Watch your words other wise you'll regret it. when you die" He vowed, running towards me

"You are just a person who has never seen the real world." I position myself to counteract his forward and met his three swords attack with my knife halting his motion

"WHAT?" I could virtually read his shock on his face. I t gave me no pleasure

He stood there briefly before he leapt into a frenzy of lunges, swings, and slashes. All standard in base, but with a twist characteristic of years of practice. _He started training young to become a swordsman how many people have I run into like that a thousand?_ There wasn't really anything special about this green haired kid. _Yet there is something about him. Must be my imagination._ I gave a pull upward and sent him flying back. I had to admit he got up on his feet again fast.

"What a crazy skill you've got." I conceded. _What does he hope to accomplish with this fight?_

"What is your duty and what do you want from the ultimate power? Weakling" Speaking the truth of it just to rankle him. I could tell it worked, as he lunged forward again immediately. _An amateur mistake, giving control of the fight to the opponent, by letting him goad you into an attack._ The sound of yells and screams reached my ears I spared a quick glance at the boys across the dock the straw hat boy appeared to be holding two men back from leaping across to our platform the boy was gritting his teeth and shaking violently "We have to be patient" he hissed. I realized that it was he who was using the men to hold himself back. Turning my attention back just as the teen reached the height of his strike I countered it again.

"OOOP" I knocked the green haired boy back again. _Its time to end this_. Watching him launch another strike. I waited for the right moment then pushed past his attack and stabbed him in the chest. I was a deep wound but not a deadly one. I waited for him to step back but he did not. His knees were shaking with effort to remaining upright,

"DO you want this knife to go through your heart? Why aren't you stepping back." I demanded. He was frowning in concentration, as if he didn't know why he was still standing their either

"I...I don't know. However if I take a step back I feel that I had broken my promise I will not be able to stand here again?" What is wrong with this teen.

"Right and that is called losing." I said sarcastically.

"Haha That's why I can't step back." He replied shakily.

"Even if it means you will lose your life?" I asked

"If I have to lose I'd rather die." He vowed.

 _What a strong will. He choose to die rather than to live with regret._ Satisfied, I re sheathed my knife.

"Tell me your name kid." He held out his swords in front of him and announced

"Roronoa Zoro"

"I'll remember that " I told him and reached for my sword and unsheathed it.

"I have not met someone with such a strong will like you for a long time and to repay that I will use the "black sword" The strongest sword in this world to end your life." _Although I found that I did not want to kill him._ He formed his stance again and I moved effortlessly through the slash.

"Die." The wails of his companions was all that broke the silence. Did the boy sit down and die. No

"The secret technique of the three swords style" he announced as he moved determinately if a little shakily through his move. He must know it is useless.

"Tri elements sword" he yelled as he struck. I swung. There was a crack. Yet I knew that somehow he was not dead. The sound of metal hitting wood reached my ears. I had broken his swords, they had taken most of the impact. now he had only one. Turning I saw a that he sheathed his white sword. blood was spilling from his mouth. He turned to face me and held his arms out.

"What are you doing?" I asked surprised did he still refuse to lose

"It's shameful for a swordsman to be hit from behind." Grinning a grin full of blood. It dripped down his chin.

"Splendid"

"ZORO" shocked to hear such a sound that reverberated the same power that I could tell the green haired boy would grow to be very strong now.

 _This is quite the pair. Don't give up your life so soon kid. Roronoa._

I thought as I slashed my sword and at the last moment pulled my strength so I did not finish him. His blood sprayed everywhere as he fell back in to the water. His friends dived into the water from the restaurant pier just as the swordsman drifted below the two of them did the other one did not as I found out a moment later that this made sense as a fist hurtles towards me while its owner remained on the pier. Stretching? I wondered to myself

"YAAAHH!" Came a shout and I looked up to see the owner of the hand that had lasted onto the railing on the other side of the deck come flying towards me. OI was surprised this boy had not come off as stupid why did he think he could take me on after his friend had nearly died. The audience remained paralyzed with awe as I knew devil fruit were not common in East Blue. But they were common on the Grandline

"Are you that swordsman's friend?" I asked as I easily sidestepped the punch.

"You want to fight too?" The boy flew past and crashed into the deck behind me.

"That's good, you will learn a lesson yourself." I told him although he did not seem to be listening look up in his own private world of fear. And in that instant I saw the real connection between them. the boy was not seeking a fight with me he was acting like a alpha chimp like the ones, I have on my home island when another of the troop is attacked. He was afraid that I was going to kill his friend.

Still the stretching is a bit bizarre, even for devil fruit users.

"Don't worry! The kid is still alive" I told him. He looked at me from where he sat on the ground and I could see that he had already gauged my strength and this was not about a battle of strength this was about protecting his friend, he knew he would not beat me. He was upright in a flash when the boys who pulled the swordsman out of the water had started chanting his name again.

"Zoro!" Straw hat boy screamed. Across the way his frantic companions struggled to get him on the boat.

"I am Dracule Mihawk" I told him my full name for him to remember. "It is too soon for you to die you have to learn more about the world and discover your true self. You have to become stronger Roronoa Zoro." I commanded. I knew that he was not unconscious by his breathing pattern. The other boy remained sitting next to me but was strangely not alarmed.

"No matter how long it will take. I will always be the greatest swordsman and will be waiting for you. You have to practice both your skill and your heart to become stronger. Dare to challenge me again Roronoa Zoro!" I yelled I turned to the boy. _I will look forward to it. He has a long journey ahead and will meet strong adversaries. He will need friends to help him, to challenge him._ I looked at the boy next to me.

"Kid what is your goal?" I asked. He a answered immediately

"To become the greatest pirate."

 _Hahahahaha You and everyone else sailing the seas._ I laughed to myself. _His companion has an even more impossible goal. Are they just naive or..._

"What a stupid dream. It means you have to become stronger than me you know." I challenged him and was surprised to see the boy's face contort into one of disgust, he stuck out his tongue and retorted

"I don't care! I will become the greatest pirate you will see." _Not too naive, inexperienced but not naive._ He said and then to my shock he turned his back on me, dismissing me. _He has nerve to turn his back on me after attacking me._ But before I could comment, the green haired swordsman lifted his white sword his arm steady "Zoro?" straw hat yelled as if sensing his companion was about to speak.

"Luffy ca..can you hear me?" He managed to choked out.

"YES!"

"I am sorry for making you worry about me." The swordsman cried. His sword glinted in the sun. _These two are very similar. They understand each others' limits and more importantly respect each others' dreams. They will go far together._

"If I can't become an invincible swordsman you will worry about me right? From now on I won't lose to anyone ever again. Until I can defeat that man and become an invincible swordsman I won't lose again!" He yelled laboring under the strain of his injuries.

I grinned. _Haha today was turning out to be exciting after all._ I realized pleasantly.

"Do you have any problems, greatest pirate?" He asked after a pause. He was still able to hold his sword up in the air.

"Hehehehehe Nope!" The boy's laugh sounded more like a witch's cackle. The boy was grinning. The swordsman was satisfied and put down his sword. I heard his breathing slow as the strain of his wounds pulled him under again. It was time to head out.

"You are a very good team I hope that I will see you again." I told the straw hat boy before turning and heading back to where my raft was tied up.

 _These kids might just make something out of themselves._


End file.
